A new food hall concept is opening inside one of Manchester’s most historic buildings, taking on a space where the old Natural History Museum once stood.
Brought to life by the team behind Peter Street aperitivo bar Haunt, the new drink and dining hall will sit just around the corner on Museum Street inside the Grade II-listed St George’s House building.
Called Exhibition, it will bring together three independent kitchen concepts alongside two different in-house bars managed in-house and (as you might’ve guessed from the name) a range of dedicated exhibition spaces.
Aiming to push the boundaries of Manchester’s vibrant entertainment scene with the addition of changing works from local artists and a theatrical performance element come nightfall, it will sit inside a stunning period building rich with local history.
Interiors have been stripped back to the bone, leaving not much more than an industrial shell of exposed brick and beams behind.
The new 6,000sqft food hall will serve local beers on tap, an extensive wine list and premium spirits, with locally-brewed craft Manchester Union Lager poured straight from a specially-installed tank.
There will also be a second bar dedicated to seasonally-changing cocktails which will celebrate a new spirit every quarter.
Not much has yet been revealed on the food yet, with operators only saying that kitchens will be serving up ‘innovative seasonal menus with a refined flair’ and offering a mixture of small and large plates.
Then, after dark, the 400-capacity venue will play host to nightly DJs and entertainers, showcasing the very best of Manchester’s creative scene.
Owners are keen to embrace the rich history of the site as they breathe new life into it with the opening of Exhibition.
Based within the stunning settings of St George’s House, which was built on top of Manchester’s old Natural History Museum following its demolishment, this corner of Peter Stret has a significant past.,
As well as once being home to Manchester’s Natural History Museum, it sits above the site of the 1817 Peterloo Massacre where hundreds were injured following peaceful protests for parliamentary reform.
And that’s not all. It is also the very place where the body of Hannah Beswick, also known as the Manchester Mummy, was found.
A wealthy woman with a pathological fear of premature burial, upon her instructuions following her death her body was embalmed and then kept above ground to be periodically checked for signs of life.
It’s something the team are keen to celebrate, as they prepare to open Exhibition this Autumn.
Sam Wheatley, Operations Manager said: “We can’t wait to start welcoming people to Exhibition this Autumn, and hope to bring something different to Peter Street. It’s been a passion project for the whole team, and we can’t wait to see this incredible space brought back to life.
“Nurturing local businesses and artists is integral to Exhibition, and we’re so excited to share our venue with some of the most talented people from across the region.”
Drinks prices for Manchester Oasis gigs announced – and you’ll be pleasantly surprised
Daisy Jackson
The prices of drinks at Heaton Park for the five huge Manchester Oasis shows have been released in advance.
With the Gallagher brothers reuniting on stage in their hometown for the first time this weekend (and then again next week), it’s a huge moment for our city.
Those lucky enough to snag tickets have already forked out a small fortune to witness this moment in history (still scarred from the dynamic pricing debacle).
And most of us were probably bracing to spend another small fortune on beers at the Oasis Manchester gigs.
But you might be pleasantly surprised at the drinks prices up at Heaton Park for Oasis Live ’25.
It’s now been confirmed that pints of lager and cider will be just £6.50.
Before you turn your nose up, remember that pints at our two arenas – the AO Arena and Co-op Live are now sitting around the £9 mark.
Prices for other drinks, like wine and spirits, we’ll have to wait until Friday to see.
Heaton Park will also be the home of the ‘largest beer garden’ and the longest bars in the city for the Oasis reunion.
With a major heatwave predicted for the first shows, fans are being encouraged to stay hydrated (on WATER, not beer, please).
Ticket-holders will be allowed to bring a sealed bottle of water up to 500ml in with you, but it must be collapsible plastic.
Solid plastic and metal containers will be rejected on safety grounds.
There’s a free water point on site where you can fill up your bottles again.
Oasis will perform at Heaton Park in Manchester on 11, 12, 16, 19 and 20 July.
Dates announced as resident doctors prepare to stage strikes this month
Emily Sergeant
Resident doctors in England have voted to stage strike action over pay, and the dates for the industrial action have now been confirmed.
The British Medical Association (BMA) says doctors have ‘spoken clearly’ after the results of a vote published today revealed that 90% of resident doctors have voted in favour of a potential return to industrial action.
It comes after the ballot – which ran from 27 May until 7 July – saw a turnout of 55% members, with almost 30,000 (29,741) votes cast.
26,766 of those votes endorsed the use of strike action as part of efforts to restore pay, while just under 3,000 voted against it.
The result means that resident doctors have now secured a fresh mandate to stage industrial action when they choose from now until January 2026.
BMA resident doctors committee co-chairs, Melissa Ryan and Ross Nieuwoudt, said that, while no doctor took the possibility of striking lightly, a clear majority of members felt that they had ‘no other choice’ given the ongoing failures to restore pay.
They added that Health Secretary Wes Streeting has the power to ‘make the right decision’ on pay, and urged the Government to return to negotiations ‘as soon as possible’.
It’s now been confirmed that resident doctors will stage a full walk out from 7am on Friday 25 July until 7am on Wednesday 30 July.
These upcoming strikes come after resident doctors – formerly known as junior doctors, until 2024 – in England participated in an unprecedented 11 rounds of strike action after negotiations with the previous Conservative Government over restoring pay repeatedly stalled.
“Doctors have spoken and spoken clearly – they won’t accept that they are worth a fifth less than they were in 2008,” the committee co-chairs said. “Our pay may have declined but our will to fight remains strong.
“Doctors don’t take industrial action lightly, but they know it is preferable to watching their profession wither away.
“The next move is the Government’s – will it repeat the mistakes of its predecessor? Or will it do the right thing and negotiate a path to full pay restoration and the restoration of doctors’ confidence in our profession’s future?”
Georgina Pellant -
8th September 2022 
